There’s a mountain of things to see and do if you’re visiting France, from exploring brilliant cities like Paris and Marseille to soaking up the glorious Provençal countryside.
You might think seeing it all in one trip would be pretty much impossible, but think again: a brand-new luxury train tour is launching in September, ferrying passengers around some of the country’s most impressive highlights.
Le Grand Tour has been organised by the same team behind Puy du Fou theme park, a famous, beautifully restored piece of French history that offers its 2 million annual visitors a flavour of traditional theme park shows. On this journey, according to the organisers, ‘France is our biggest show’.
The five-night, six-day journey covers 2,500 miles, kicking off in Paris from the Gare de L’est, departing in the early morning and heading towards Reims. From there, you’ll stop in Beaune, a town at the heart of France’s Burgundy wine region, for a private tour of the secret sites of the famous Hospices de Beaune. Known for its striking design, the almshouse hosted the world’s most renowned charity wine auction.
Recommended: The 22 best things to do in France.
Overnight, it heads towards Provence and arrives in Avignon for a tasting of the region’s best produce, before continuing towards Carcassonne and Montauban. Next, it’s the Arachon Basin, which boasts 76 km of beaches, for a classic pinasse boat trip.
La Rochelle follows and Le Grand Tour ends with a trip to Puy du Fou in les Epesses, which is in France’s western Pays de la Loire region.
The trains themselves are ‘a masterpiece of Belle Époque design which … at the dawn of the 20th century combined elegant new and tasteful style with plush interiors’. Up to 42 passengers can be carried, and 15 crew members will be aboard too. There are eight cabins, described as ‘private salons by day that are transformed into comfortable bedrooms by night’, plus a glamorous restaurant car headed by a Three-Michelin star chef.
Dreamy stuff, eh? It won’t surprise you to learn that this journey don’t come cheap. According to the Express, a two-person cabin starts at €8,450, and a suite will set you back around €15,600. It’s a lot, but if you’ve got that kinda cash kicking around, head to the website to find out how to book. The service will launch in September 2025.
All aboard
Luxury rail travel can be an excellent way to turn your journey into part of your holiday (if you’re planning to splash out), so here’s our roundup of the world’s most glamorous rail journeys.
Did you see that this underrated European country is launching a brand-new digital nomad visa?
Plus: This Indian mausoleum was named the world’s most beautiful building.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
